Ideopolis Volume 3, Issue 2, Spring 2016

Volume 3, Issue 2

Spring 2016

IN SIDE: News to Know, DC Internship Winners and MORE!

idea noun \ī-ˈdē-ə, -ˈdēə also ˈī-(ˌ)dē-ə or ˈīdē\: a thought, plan, or suggestion about what to do; an opinion or belief; something that you imagine or picture in your mind polis noun \ˈpä-ləs\: a Greek city-state; broadly: a state or society especially when characterized by a sense of community

RIC STUDENTS REPRESENT Senior Interns in Ecuador During the most recent pre-spring session, I was able to travel to Ecuador to complete the internship requirement for my INGOs certificate. A total of 12 RIC students, two professors, and one of the professor’s sons went on the trip. Our mission was to help teach Jason King, meeting Sixto Durán Ballén, children at an orworld famous architect, former mayor of phanage how to Quito, ambassador to the US, and Ecgrow vegetables uador’s 37th President (1992-1996). hydroponically (we also made two outdoor gardens). This was all done to help the orphanage become self-sustaining by growing their own food. Just as important as our official mission, was showing the children there that they are not forgotten and that they are loved. Mission accomplished on both accounts.

The entire trip was amazing. Spending time with the kids, seeing the natural beauty of Ecuador, spending time with our kind and generous hosts, and even meeting a former president of Ecuador are all things that

I will never forget.

This opportunity is afforded to RIC students every two years (through Dr. Jill Harrison) and I would highly recommend it to all Political Science majors and those in the INGOs program.

Thank you, RIC and thank you, Ecuador. Jason King (Political Science/INGOS ‘16)

Junior to Crunch Numbers in NC

By Elisa Boschetti (Political Science/INGOS ‘16) Nicauris Heredia ‘17, double majoring in Political Science and Public Administration, minoring in INGOS, has been offered an exciting opportunity this summer. She applied and was accepted to the 2016 Ralph Bunche Summer Institute, a research methodology training program offered to third year undergraduate students.

Each year, fewer than twenty students across the country are each year to participate. Classes are held on the Duke University Campus in North Carolina for five weeks. Nicauris hopes to gain more experience in statistical analysis, which she believes is a key element of Political Science research.

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Spring 2016

Senior Presents Research at National Conference in DC Pi Sigma Alpha is the National Political Science Honor Society. Every year, the society hosts a National Student Research Conference in Washington D.C. This conference gives students the opportunity to present their findings in a professional setting with feedback from other undergraduate students and PhD candidates. I was lucky enough to be selected to present my findings for my Departmental Honors Thesis, Talking [About] Class: Presidential Campaign Rhetoric in Low and High Income Cities, at the conference.

I began thinking about the relationship between presidential candidates’ campaign rhetoric and a city’s wealth last spring in POL 308. I decided to find the answer to my research question by doing an honors project with Professor Brophy-Baermann.

There is no doubt that doing an honors thesis is a long process, but being able to present my findings at this conference was worth all the hard work!

Each year in November, Pi Sigma Alpha allows members to submit abstracts of their papers for committee review. This year the society selected over 60 students to present their findings at this conference.

At the conference, I received a lot of positive feedback about my work. The audience was genuinely interested in what I was discussing and, after my presentation, several audience members came up to me to discuss my work more in-depth.

Of course, I didn’t spend the whole weekend discussing my paper! I was lucky enough to make some good friends and do some sightseeing, too. Overall, it was a great experience and I would encourage any student working on an honors thesis to consider participating in this event. It was a worthwhile experience and worth all the hard work!

Lindsey Callahan, Political Science and Public Administration ‘16

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Spring 2016

INGOS and Political Science Students Visit the United Nations

By Dr. Robyn Linde

In October 2015, INGOS and Political Science students travelled to New York City to tour the United Nations (UN). The trip was organized and led by Political Science Professor and INGOS Director Robyn Linde. Students were able to visit the UN Security Council, General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, and UN grounds. Thanks to the beautiful weather, the students also got to enjoy a bit of New York before and after the tour. INGOS and Political Science student, Bayley Forshee (’18), described the trip as “UN-believable,” and expressed how much she “liked actually seeing what we were talking about in class and learning more about its history firsthand.” Another trip to the UN is being planned.

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Alumni Spotlight: Jennifer Magaw, Public Defender I started at RIC over 10 years ago now, and I don’t think I had any idea of what I wanted to do beyond some nebulous idea of “helping people.” I was, and still am, a person who cares deeply about social justice issues. While I was a freshman at RIC, I was a member of a student organization engaged in a protest regarding access to contraception. When our signs emblazoned with the message, “Keep your rosaries off our ovaries” were taken down from school property by order of the President of RIC at the time, we were frustrated and angry. Luckily, we had some very supportive professors and even more supportive peers. One thing led to another, and the ACLU ended up getting involved on our behalf. That was probably the first time in my life I had met a lawyer. I was pleasantly surprised and inspired that there were lawyers out there that could probably be making a boatload of money but instead dedicated their careers to protecting the Constitutional rights of others. I decided then to go to law school so I could be one of those lawyers.

It was around that time that I was in one of Dr. Schmeling’s classes, grinding out case briefs. I didn’t know it then, but that was the best preparation I got for law school. Learning to think like a lawyer is not something that comes easily, but reading cases, combing the text for the relevant issues, and being able to articulate their meanings in plain English was essentially all I did my first year of law school.

Spring 2016

Besides working as a public defender, I currently serve on the board of the Rhode Island ACLU, partially because I support the outstanding work they do for this state, and partially because I feel as though I owe them my service for taking up my cause when I was a student. I still live in Rhode Island along with my fiancé, Jeremy Rix (another RIC PoliSci alum), who after seeing me go through the ordeal of law school decided it would be a great idea to give it a go himself. I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention my very good friend and rowing partner Loretta Cimini (another RIC PoliSci alum) who works as a librarian at the Adult Correctional Institution in Cranston. The sample size here is small, but I’d say RIC produces some outstanding public servants! My years at RIC were formative; I walked away not only with a toolbox full of what I needed to pave the way for my career, but I also established invaluable personal and professional relationships that constitute my support system to this day.

March 18th of this year marks the 53rd anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright, the US Supreme Court case that established a guaranteed right to an attorney for defendants charged with serious criminal offenses, even if they could not afford to pay for one. Today, in 2016, public defender offices across the country are woefully underfunded After graduating from RIC in 2009 and Roger Wil- and overburdened. Their staff attorneys work late hours for low pay and little recognition. I’m proud liams University School of Law in 2012, I took a job working for the Committee for Public Counsel to be counted as one of them. Although many Services office in New Bedford, Massachusetts as criticize my work as exploitation of legal loopholes and technicalities for the benefit of “criminals,” I a public defender. I’m lucky to work in an office that practices holistic representation. Besides my would respond by saying that the Constitution is not a technicality, and I sleep very well at night work in the courtroom, we have social workers and attorneys that specialize in immigration issues knowing that I, along with my colleagues across on staff to address the collateral consequences of the country, are working so hard to uphold that being charged with a crime. I’ve worked on some principle. Jennifer Magaw ‘09 incredibly challenging cases ranging from allegations of rape to armed robberies. I’ve won big; there’s really nothing like hearing the words “not guilty” for the first time, followed by the client’s sigh of relief. Of course, I’ve lost big, too, but I learned very quickly that my job is not as simple as winning and losing. Zealous advocacy on the part of the defense attorney legitimizes the process, but more importantly, it gives our clients the dignity they deserve.

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Meet Our New Administrative Assistant: Amy Tibbetts I graduated from URI in 2005 with a double major in Anthropology and Spanish. From 2005 to 2013, I worked at the Higgins Armory in Worcester, MA, a medieval history museum that was once featured on the TV show Ghost Hunters (due to rumors that the original collector still haunted the conservation lab in the museum's vaults). I am happy to answer any questions you have about the effectiveness of chain mail versus plate armor. Since 2013, I worked with graduate student records at URI until transferring here at the beginning of this year. I live in Foster with a very active border collie named Kirby. I love how engaged and excited our Poli Sci students are--every day I hear them talking about interesting political issues. Amy Tibbetts

Primary Debate Watch: A YUGE Success

By Michelle Arias ‘17 On February 11, the Political Science Club, Pi Sigma Alpha, and Student Activities hosted an event called Debate Watch. The general public, students, and staff were invited to participate in a form of civic engagement. The idea of this event was to make students more aware of the 2016 Presidential Race through a Democratic Primary Debate, where people could register to vote with our voter registration drive, have free food, participate in a trivia about the election, participate in a poll/survey, get a free t-shirt, and sign up for the Political Science Club. This was done with the intention that, no matter your knowledge of politics, you can still participate to win one of the three prizes we would end up raffling at the end of the night (gift cards to the Cheesecake Factory and Chili’s, as well as movie tickets). About 50 people gathered in SU 307, and everything went well. This was the first time we have had a big event; we are hoping to repeat this once again for Fall 2016 for the actual Presidential Debate! This took a lot of preparation and coordination between Pi Sigma, Political Science Club and Student Activities, with students like Carson Moore, Derrick Trombley, Nicauris Heredia, Lindsay Callahan and more always volunteering their time to make everything went as planned. Other volunteers from Pi Sigma Alpha included Sarah Isherwood and Tina Smith Tavares, and Jennifer Moreta from the Political Science Club. Working for Student Activities was certainly an advantage to make this event a success, and I hope I and all the wonderful student volunteers who will be here next year can do the same in the Fall!

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Spring 2016

INGOS Corner

In the KNOW about INGOs

The INGOS Program introduces students to international nongovernmental organizations (like Amnesty International, Doctors without Borders and Greenpeace), and explores the many ways these important organizations are shaping the world. The program offers two tracks: a certificate and a minor; both tracks are open to all students. For more information, contact Professor Robyn Linde at rlinde@ric.edu.

INGOS News INGOS students this semester are partnering with Healthy Families Initiative, a community organization dedicated to ending domestic violence in Muslim communities in Rhode Island.

Students in INGO 302 INGOS and Social Entrepreneurship are engaged with Healthy Families Initiative on numerous projects, including writing grants, working on the organization’s social media presence, and creating a new program designed to empower young Muslim women.

Additionally, Shanice Goncalves (Political Science ‘16) is working at Hope High School on a mentoring project for college-bound juniors and seniors, preparing them for the challenges of college.

Two INGOS students, Jason King (Political Science ‘16) and Samson Hampton (Self-designed degree ‘17), travelled to Ecuador over winter break to fulfill their internship requirement for the INGOS certificate. Be sure to read Jason’s article about the experience on the front page.

Two other INGOS students will be travelling abroad this summer as well.

Elisa Boschetti (Political Science ‘16) is going to the Ukraine with AS220 to implement a digital media exchange called Brighter Worlds. The exchange will connect students in Providence and with students in Kiev. Elisa will travel with AS220 instructors to Kiev in June to meet Ukrainian students, many of whom have been displaced by war. Additionally, Nicauris Heredia (Political Science and Public Administration ‘17) is travelling to the Dominican Republic for an internship related to her interest in citizenship and the human rights of Dominicans of Haitian descent.

In the fall, INGOS 300 Introduction to INGOS will be offered. It is cross-listed with POL 345 and qualifies for both INGOS credit and a political science elective.

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Spring 2016

Geography Geography Corner Corner

Oh, the PLACES You'll Go...with GEOGRAPHY Geography News The Geography Program, in conjunction with the RI Geography Education Alliance, has been preparing RIC students to map out BioBlitz activities that will be occurring throughout the state in the spring. With their skills is geospatial tools such as GIS, students are working with others in the community to see the power and value of spatial thinking as they are out in the field examining the local environment. RIC geography professor Mary Grady is heading up a BioBlitz initiative to encourage a wider range of environmental considerations beyond simply getting students to identify species in the field.

She hopes to get students to consider the local ecosystem as a whole, the physical environment that fosters that ecosystem, and how human settlements impact other species.

RIGEA members plan a BioBlitz activity on the banks of Narragansett Bay

RIC Geography Professor Seth Dixon coordinated the March arrival of this giant map of the Pacific to Rhode Island to get little elementary school feet all over the state to explore the Pacific in a big way.

Congratulations to geography major, Kaitlin Young ‘16. She has been accepted into urban and regional planning/policy programs at the University of Michigan and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst!

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Public Administration Corner

Spring 2016

The PERKS of Being a PUB AD Major

Public Administration News

Internships! The PA Corner is introducing a new element. In the future, look here to find out the Spring internship experiences of our students majoring in Public Administration and Political Science.

The following students are interning with state legislators: Nicauris Heredia (PS/PA), with Rep. Grace Dias (Providence); Ifeoluwa “Kenny” Olasanoye (PS/PA ), with Rep. Joseph Almeida (Providence); Carson Moore (PS), with Rep. Arthur Handy (Cranston); James Perry (PS), with Rep. Robert Craven (North Kingston); and David Santilli (PS/PA), with Rep. Robert Philips (Woonsocket). Students interning in other offices and agencies include: Michelle Arias (PS/PA), who is providing assistance to DORCAS International Institute of Rhode Island, Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services; Lindsey Callahan (PA/ PS), a Seasonal Policy Analyst with the Rhode Island Department of Revenues, Division of Taxation-Field Audits; Dora Cooney (PS), an intern with the Fall River, Massachusetts, District Probation Office; Djinia Itetia (PA/PS), a Major Grant intern for the Resource Development Office of the United Way of Rhode Island; Alec Lengyel (PA), an intern at the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal; Ariana Morrocco (PA), an intern for the Rhode Island Department of Administration, Office of Health & Human Services, Human Resources Service Center; Zackary Pereira (PS/History), who is assisting with Administrative responsibilities at the state Democratic Party Headquarters; Jocasta Rodriguez (PS/PA), an intern with the Bar Administrator of the Rhode Island Supreme Court; and Matthew Bass (History/ Minor PS), an intern with the Providence Preservation Society.

Reminder: Any students planning on registering for the Summer Internship (Political Science 328) must speak first with Dr. Perrotta and then complete the registration form available in the Political Science office. For the Fall Term 2016, prospective interns must speak with Dr. Oppenlander before completing the internship registration for the Fall Section of Political Science 328. All Public Administration majors must meet with Dr. Leazes regarding their internships before registering for the Summer or Fall 2016 sections of Political Science 328.

Congrats: A number of Public Administration students are waiting to hear about Graduate acceptances. Two students, Lindsey Callahan and Ariana Morrocco, have been accepted into the Master’s Degree Program in Public Affairs at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, currently the #1 rated Public Affairs Graduate School in the United States. Nicely done, Lindsey and Ariana!!!

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Spring 2016

NEWS to KNOW RIC Students Go to Washington Congratulations to this year’s winners of the one week congressional internships in Washington DC! Each student will be placed with a member of the RI congressional delegation (Senators Reed and Whitehouse; Representatives Langevin and Cicilline) during the weeks of May 9-13 or 16-20. Student Community Government awards each student an $800 stipend for travel and lodging.

Aaron DeMarco ‘17 Joshua Peloquin ‘16 Nicauris Heredia ‘17 Tatiana Reis ‘17 Carson Moore ‘17 Brittany Williams ‘17

Pi Sigma Alpha to Induct 18 New Members at April Luncheon Fall 2015 Michelle C. Arias Santabay ‘17 Stephen W. Conti ‘17 Ryan J. Foley ‘17 Jason M. King ‘16 Alexander Y. Lengyel ‘16 Jason T. Mollo ‘16 Ariana Morrocco ‘16 Genesis G. Sanchez Tavarez ‘17

Spring 2016 Michael B. Barsana ‘17 Edward A. Borges ‘17 Jenna E. Grange ‘16 Djinia L. Itetia ‘16 Carson D. Moore ‘17 Brody J. Morris ‘17 Stephen E. Morrison ‘17 Kristen Michelle Roy ‘17 Derrik L. Trombley ‘17 Brittany Williams ‘17

Faculty Updates: Rich Weiner has been invited to put together panels on “trust in political economy” and “fading Europe” respectively at the World Congress of the International Political Science Association and at the University of Lodz this coming July. His invited article “The Genealogy of a Critical Sociology of Law” will be published in a festschrift volume by Palgrave Macmillan honoring Andrew Feenberg.

Dr. Schmeling, along with Dr. Erik Christiansen of the History Department, has published a report on higher education funding through the Rhode Island Collaborative. The report discusses the pros and cons of different funding methods that might be adopted by Rhode Island as it considers changes in its funding scheme. You can read the report at http://collaborativeri.org/reforming-higher-education -funding-in-rhode-island-lessons-from-other-states/.

Professor Leazes, in partnership with Dr. Mikaila Arthur of the Sociology Department, received a research grant from The Collaborative which is funded by the Rhode Island Foundation. The purpose of the grant is to study higher education outcomes in Rhode Island. The report is complete and is under review. Three Public Administration and Political Science Majors assisted as paid interns: Lindsey Callahan, Michelle Arias, and Kristen Roy. Two students majoring in Sociology, Christopher Tirrel and Viviana Gonzalez Gomez, also contributed significant research hours compiling data regarding the professional outcomes for students who have graduated from RIC over the past few decades.

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Spring 2016

Goings-On in Craig-Lee and Beyond A look at student organizations, events and activities…

Go ahead, get involved!

March 23, Alumni Luncheon: The Political Science Department and the Rhode Island College Alumni Association, along with Pi Sigma Alpha and the Political Science Club, are cosponsoring an Alumni Luncheon on March 13, featuring 19 graduates from our department who will return to campus to share their experiences with our current students. The event is scheduled between 12:30-2PM in the Donovan Dining Center's South Dining Room (Faculty Center). A light lunch will be available. This experience will be a valuable networking activity as well as information session for surviving graduate school, law school and building a career.

Please email Amy Tibbetts at atibbetts@ric.edu if you will attend.

April 13, Pi Sigma Alpha Induction Luncheon: Pi Sigma Alpha’s annual Induction Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, April 13th, during the free period in the South Dining Room of the Faculty Center, Donovan Dining Center. This year, guest speaker Phil West will receive an honorary membership. Invitations will be emailed.

The Political Science Club: The purpose of the Political Science Club is to generate science as a way for different career opportunities. The Poli Sci club also works to foster a sense of community among students, particularly for political science majors and minors, and is open to students of all majors. The club organizes discussions, and special events, like Debate Watch and the Alumni Luncheon. We meet every other week at 4:00pm in the Political Science Lounge. If you’re interested in learning more, contact any of the executive board members. Executive Board: President: Michelle Arias ‘17; Vice President: Carson Moore ‘17; Treasurer: Derrik Trombley ‘17; Secretary: Nicauris Heredia ‘17

Pi Sigma Alpha: Each semester, the Alpha Beta Epsilon chapter of the National Political Science Honor Society, Pi Sigma Alpha, invites a small group of students to become members.

To become a member, a student must have: completed 60 credit hours, taken a 300 (or above) level course, a 3.3 in their political science courses and a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher. Executive Board: President: Sarah Isherwood ‘16; Vice President: Lindsey Callahan ‘16; Tina Smith Tavares ‘18; Secretary: Ariana Morrocco ‘16. Learn more about Pi Sigma Alpha at: http://www.pisigmaalpha.org.

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Spring 2016

Registration for Fall 2016 is nearly here. If you haven’t already made an appointment with your advisor, please do so right away. Remember that you should complete POL300 (Methodology in Political Science) and POL308 (Contemporary Political Controversy) before taking most of your other 300-level courses, usually by the second semester of your Junior year. Political Science majors get priority for these courses, which tend to fill up quickly. Dr. Schmeling can pre-register you for either or both, starting Friday, April 1st. Also, remember that at least two of your upper-level courses must come from the list of writing courses. See our department’s advising sheet. Finally, please consider an internship course (POL327 or POL328). Employers highly value job applicants who have the practical experience that internships provide.

Honors Thesis. Students who have a GPA of 3.25 overall and 3.4 in the major are eligible to write a thesis to earn departmental honors. This year-long project involves taking an independent study in the fall semester and another in the spring. It’s an excellent opportunity to develop research and writing skills that will help you in the workplace or graduate school. If you are graduating next May and interested in pursuing this, now is the time to start. Think about a topic that you would like to research and speak with a professor who teaches that subject. A very brief application should be completed by April 15th to get approval to start the project in the fall. You can pick up an application from our honors director, Dr. Perrotta.

Operation Clean Government has asked the department to host their biannual Candidates’ School again this spring. It will take place in the Student Union on Saturday, June 4 th. This event brings prospective candidates for political office together with current elected officials and other experts to explore how and why to run for office, and how to win.

Candidates pay a fee to attend the Candidates’ School, but Political Science majors and other RIC students can attend for free. We will also be looking for a few volunteers to help with organizing, setup, and running the event. This is a great opportunity to learn more about Rhode Island politics and meet some of the major players. Please contact Dr. Schmeling if you are interested in attending this event.

Thomas Schmeling, Chair of the Political Science Department

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Ideopolis Rhode Island College Department of Political Science 600 Mt. Pleasant Ave. Providence, RI 02908

Spring 2016

Visit the Political Science Department's website and Facebook page!

Editor Michelle Brophy-Baermann

New Topics Course for Fall! POL 350: Race and Ethnicity in American Politics In 2008, Barack Obama’s presidential victory led many in the media to declare the United States a post-racial, color-blind society. And yet, everywhere you turn, Americans seem fixated on pigment. Ethno-racial conflict is, and has always been, endemic in American politics. This course will examine race and ethnicity in American politics in three parts. First, we will encounter concepts crucial to the study of race and ethnicity and review the political histories of the major ethno-racial groups in the U.S. Next, we will study these groups’ participation in the contemporary American political system. Finally, we will examine major policy areas particularly germane to ethnic and racial minorities in the U.S., including voting rights, law enforcement, immigration, racial profiling, poverty, incarceration, border control, education, affirmative action, and more. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:00 to 3:50. Special Considerations: you can take more than one POL 350 for credit towards the major; open to all majors; you must have completed 30 credits to enroll; class will be seminar format. For more information, contact Dr. Brophy-Baermann at mbrophy@ric.edu.

Find this and previous issues of Ideopolis online at: http://issuu.com/ideopolis.

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